most universal USB connector

I have found 5 ohms on the power conductors of one brand my customer found (multiple cables). I don't know how that is even possible. So my ~0.5amp board was only seeing a couple of volts... as would an external hard drive etc.

Hmm... I'm thinking they might have used a really cheap brand or a cheap cable? The micro-B spec says that there's supposed to be a minimum of

My cell phone weights 0.35lbs. and -- as the spec would indicate -- it can easily be suspended from a micro-B cable.

---Joel

The real questions would be, where do those 1.25W burn off? And is the stuff around that location going to release toxic fumes when it starts to cook?

If it's just shoddy wire it may evenly heat up. But if a bad crimp connection like you have on USB cables a lot, then ... phssssss ...

Well, maybe so, but it came with the drive. A moderately expensive one at the time, A WD 500GB "passport".

The point being that I've not seen *any* correlation between price and quality of USB cables. Differences, sure, but good cheap cables are just as plentiful as crappy, expensive, cables.

There is a difference but it has nothing to do with retail price.

BTW, anyone know of a decent *flexible* A to micro-B? I'm tired of my cell phone being thrown around by its snake.

mico-B chargers were made for the old Razr. I have one and use it for my Sandisk Sansa Clip. Like the one shown here

Cheers

Micro-B chargers are everywhere (I have a Droid Razr ;-). The issue was the existence of Mini-B chargers, which do exist but are somewhat more rare. They're not common because the connector was done before there was any standardization on charger connectors.

I have nearly always seen major improvement when we bought the cables from a reputable company. For example here:

IME it usually does. The reputable guys won't (be able to) sell you a cable for 99c.

My wife has a Samsung Mantra cell phone and that charger has a pretty skinny cable. Maybe check Radio Shack or a cell phone store?

But $30 still buys a crappy cable.

Some chargers have a flexible cable but I'm looking for a flexible USB (A to Micro-B) cable.

quality

plentiful

Not if you buy it from L-Com, and they won't charge $30.

Just a USB cable? Shouldn't be a problem. Just stay away from the no-name stuff.

better

quality

plentiful

You're still missing the point. Price says nothing about quality.

Haven't found one. I'll buy a dozen. I'm tired of my cell phone levitating or skittering across the desk on a big fat tail. ;-) I'd even buy a few if they didn't have the data wires. (I need mostly it for power when I'm using the phone as a mobile hotspot).

better

quality

plentiful

But brand-name typically does. And brand-name has its price. I rather buy quality stuff, where I know it'll work.

small

better

quality

plentiful

Let me try again. You *DON'T* get what you pay for. You can easily pay a lot and get crap.

By "flexible" you mean something like, "capable of a very tight bend radius" -- say, like most earphone cables? Or something else?

A tail that'll stay behind the dog, where it belongs. ;-) The cables put a lot of torque on that connector, too. That worries me a bit.

small

is

better

quality

plentiful

Let me try again :-)

You can inquire at _reputable_ manufacturers what cables they offer and buy it there. You of all people should know this: In the past, if you didn't want to screw up you always buy a computer at IBM. The prices were not quite as favorable but also not outrageous, and you could count on quality stuff. For example the Thinkpads, they aren't cheap but of cast-iron reputation. Things might have changed but that's how it used to be. With cables it mostly still is that way.

If you pay a lot and get crap you made a mistake by not inquiring at a reputable manufacturer. If it was a name brand then you read them the riot act, but I've had that happen only very rarely.

He will not understand. Why? Because he is even more stupid than you are.

The cables that came with a PIC and an AVR prgrammer are 2 mm diameter and a lot softer than most USB cables. They are about two feet long.

Is similar, but only one foot.